Philippines' Top Ten Causes of Mortality

(Click category to view further information.)

Heart Disease
Heart

diseases are varied and may include coronary, ischemic, valvular, inflammatory, hypertensive, hereditary, and infectious causes. A 1984 study identifies rheumatic heart disease, ischemic and hypertensive heart diseases as the major types involved.

Heart Disease (Cont.)

A

study blames cigarette smoking, the easy accessibility of cigarettes even to adolescents, and the usual suspects of increasing fat intake, increasing diabetes cases, and high cholesterol levels as predisposing factors.

Vascular System Diseases

Closely

related to number 1 above, these are the diseases that affect the circulatory system (blood vessels) and may include peripheral artery disease, all types of aneurysms and dissections, atherosclerosis, Buergers Disease, Raynauds phenomenon, and arterial embolism and thrombosis.

Vascular System Diseases (Cont.)

A

frequent diet of fatty and salty food, lack of exercise, no periodic medical consultations, and increasing cost of hospitalization all contribute to the existence of this number two killer.

Cancer
In

order of killing contribution, cancers of the lung, breast, cervix, liver, colon and rectum, prostate, stomach, oral cavity, ovary and leukemia are the specific leading cancer killers in the Philippines today.

Cancer (Cont.)
Why the lung? Because Filipinos love to smoke, the innocent and unwary get to inhale all the second-hand smoke they can get, and the air pollution is terrible especially in cities found in Metro Manila.

Cancer (Cont.)
Why breast cancer? A local study reveals that only 54 percent had ever done a BSE, of whom only 27 percent are still practicing it at an average of 9.2 times a year. Reasons given for not doing the BSE included no symptoms, busy, dont know how, dont like, dont think important, always forget, afraid and not aware.

Cancer (Cont.)
Why do Filipinas with breast problems always consult when it is too late? A 1993 local study on the determinants of late-stage diagnosis of breast cancer among Filipino patients indicated that economic factors, non-awareness of the gravity of breast cancer and fear of being diagnosed with cancer may be reasons for late diagnosis.

Cancer (Cont.)
Unreasonably stubborn breast cancer patients .

1997 DOH-WHO breast cancer screening field survey in Metro Manila revealed that there was a large non-compliance rate (79.1 percent!) among women found to have breast masses (2.8 percent positivity rate) in terms of consulting hospitals and specialized clinics for re-evaluation and possible treatment. Now, you know why many breast cancer patients die here.

Cancer (Cont.)
Why the liver? Perhaps alcohol consumption and unidentified but increasing incidence of both overt and subclinical hepatitis infections are to blame.

Cancer (Cont.)
As

with the heart and vascular diseases, there is low cancer prevention consciousness. Currently, 75 percent of all cancers occur after age 50 years, and only about 3 percent occur at age 14 years and below.

Cancer (Cont.)
Also,

cancer survival rates here are relatively low. Most Filipinos seek medical help only when their cancer conditions are in the advanced stage.

Cancer (Cont.)
By

that time, it is too late. They spend most of their money with radio- and chemotherapy sessions just to extend their lives for a couple of months.

Accidents
Safety

and prevention are two of the frequently ignored concepts by most Filipinos. It is not therefore surprising to find that accidents is the fourth killer.

Accidents (Cont.)
(Statement from the author) I am not talking about merely driving accidents, but all types of accidents including occupational and otherwise. It is a common sight seeing construction workers not wearing safety harnesses or hard hats. In fact, I have not seen a worker operating a jack hammer wearing any ear protection --- only in the Philippines!

Accidents (Cont.)
Also,

since Philippines is a disaster-prone country, typhoons, landslides, flash-floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes all contribute to the other causes of accidents here.

Pneumonia
For

adults, this occurs mainly as a complication of other chronic diseases like lung cancer, COPD, tuberculosis, and other debilitating illnesses that leave them bedridden most of the time.

Pneumonia (Cont.)
For

children, this remains to be a major killer, either as a sole disease beginning with a respiratory infection, or as a complication of measles. This recent study from Cebu City concludes that most physicians do not adhere to the local guidelines in treating communityacquired pneumonia.

Pneumonia (Cont.)
Also,

there's the other form of more fatal pneumonia --- the hospital-acquired type. This is the pneumonia you get when your length of stay in the hospital is long, and the antibiotics used to treat are the higher generations.

Tuberculosis
The

joke is that you are not a Filipino if you do not have TB. It might sound amusing but it gives you a glimpse of how prevalent this disease is. In the late 1990s, the Philippines was fourth in the world for the number of cases of tuberculosis, and had the highest number of cases per head in South East Asia.

Tuberculosis (Cont.)
Today,

there has been some improvement but a lot still need to be done. Among the 22 countries in the world accounting for 80 percent of TB worldwide, the Philippines is now ranked number 9.

Tuberculosis (Cont.)
Almost

75 Filipinos die everyday because TB. Almost everyone gets vaccinated with BCG as a child, and yet, this does not ensure that you will not develop TB later.

Tuberculosis (Cont.)
Is the direct-observed treatment strategy (DOTS) working? To a certain extent yes, and only if those with symptoms consult immediately.

Tuberculosis (Cont.)
The

problem is that most Filipinos ignore their symptoms, continue to roam around and spread the infection, and consult only when there is blood coming out when they cough.

Tuberculosis (Cont.)
Also,

over the years, no one has developed a better vaccine and a better class of drugs against this infection. Meanwhile, the multi-drug resistance capability of the organism due to mutation continues to progress.

Signs, Symptoms, Abnormal Clinical Laboratory Findings.

(Author: This number 7 killer confuses me, and much as I have tried to research on it, I can't find what are the specific details about it. What does this mean? Abnormal signs and symptoms? Are these mysterious diseases?)

Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease

These

are all smoking-related diseases and includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and COPD. The Philippines has a law against smoking, but very few establishments and people enforce and follow it.

Diabetes
Extrapolated

prevalence figures show that there are more than 5 million Filipinos with diabetes today. Central obesity, which means big and bigger tummies, predispose to developing type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes (Cont.)
The

lack of physical activity amd love of sugar-laden food and beverages predispose to metabolic abnormalities which later on give rise to diabetes.

Diabetes (Cont.)

Most consultations are made because of symptoms arising from diabetic complications like diabetic retinopathy (leading to vision loss and blindness), diabetic neuropathy (decreased sensation in the limbs, fingers, often leading to diabetic foot and amputation), and diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage resulting in chronic dialysis).

Perinatal Conditions
Infant

mortality rate in the Philippines is higher compared to its southeast Asian neighbors. Currently, the infant mortality rate is 22.12 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Perinatal Conditions (Cont.)

Identified

causes include sepsis, prematurity, jaundice, entangled umbilical cord leading to asphyxia, diarrhea, and congenital malformations. Improved prenatal care can possibly decrease the mortality rates even more.

Source

URL:http://www.zappafly.com/zapaframe.php ?url=aHR0cDovL2VtZXJpdHVzLmJsb2dzcG9 0LmNvbS8yMDA3LzA3L3BoaWxpcHBpbmV zLXRvcC10ZW4tY2F1c2VzLW9mLW1vcnRh bGl0eS5odG1s&title=LlBBUkFMTEVMIFVOS VZFUlNFUy46IFBoaWxpcHBpbmVzJyBUb3A gVGVuIENhdXNlcyBvZiAuLi4=&searchid=18 52996&zapurl=top+ten+mortality+causes+in+ the+philippines

Source

Author: Dr. Emer

Gender: Male Astrological Sign: Cancer Industry: Science Occupation: Physician Location: Manila : Philippines

2004-2011. Template by Tina Chen. Powered by Blogger.